The Best Time Of Day To Take A Pregnancy Test
The time of day you take a pregnancy test does matter to a certain extent. Youre more likely to get an accurate result if you take the test in the morning. This is especially true if your period is not yet late, or if your period is only a couple days late.
At-home pregnancy tests work by detecting the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin in your urine. Unless you get up in the night to pee often , your urine is more concentrated when you first wake up. This usually means that the amount of hCG is a bit higher, and youre more likely to get a positive result if youre pregnant.
However, you can still take a pregnancy test in the middle of the day, or even at night. Youre just more likely to get a false negative, especially if your period isnt that late, and especially if youve been drinking a lot of water and your urine is diluted.
Dont Drink A Lot Of Water Before Taking The Test
Donât drink too much water, or any liquid, before taking a pregnancy test. Excess fluids can impact the accuracy of the test results, so if your urine is diluted or pale yellow, hold off on taking a test. Diluted urine tends to also have diluted hCG levels which can skew the test results. Take a test when you naturally need to pee. This way, you’ll avoid diluting your hCG level and getting a false ‘Not Pregnant’ result.
What Should I Consider When Buying A Pregnancy Test
- Cost. Home pregnancy tests come in many different types. Most stores sell them over the counter . The cost varies depending on the brand and how many tests come in the box.
- Accuracy. Most tests can be taken as soon as you miss your period. Some newer, more expensive tests say they can be used 4 or 5 days before your period. Even so, they claim the best accuracy only after the date of your expected period.
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Early Pregnancy Test: How Soon Will A Pregnancy Test Read Positive
An early pregnancy test can read positive as soon as 11-15 days after conception, 1 day after a missed period. However, more accurate results can be obtained 2 days after a missed period.
A home pregnancy test detects the presence of human chorionic gonadotropin , which is produced in a pregnant woman. Traces of hCG can be seen in urine 3-4 days after the fertilized egg implants in the uterus, and the amount doubles every 48 hours. When there is enough hCG in the body, a pregnancy test can detect it and produce a positive result.
If your periods are irregular, however, and your test result is negative, you should repeat a home pregnancy test after 1 week.
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If Your Pregnancy Test Was Negative
A negative result can be less accurate. It may not be reliable if:
- you dont follow the instructions properly
- take the test too soon
- you are taking medicines that affect the results.
Ask your pharmacist if your medications may affect the results of a pregnancy test.
If you continue to have symptoms or you still dont get your period, take another test in a weeks time. Talk to your GP if you continue to get negative results and still don’t have a period.
I had been desperate for this to happen with me for years and when that positive line showed up I expected to be sobbing with joy. But instead I felt numb, then guilty because I felt I should have been more ecstatic. I was in shock and needed time to process. I think it was curse of social media, where women share videos of them finding out and they and their husband are overjoyed and sobbing. Since talking to other mums to be, turns out I was normal after all!
Natalie
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Dont Take A Pregnancy Test Too Soon
If you had unprotected sex or think you might be pregnant, itâs tempting to consider taking a pregnancy test before your missed period. Resist the temptation. HCG or Human chorionic gonadotropin is a hormone produced by cells that are surrounding a growing embryo, which eventually forms the placenta after implantation. The elevated presence of hCG is used to signal pregnancy. However, hCG takes time to build up in the body. So, even if implantation of an embryo occurred on a Monday, if you take a pregnancy test on Wednesday, it may still give a negative result.
Donât take a test too earlyâwait until at least 10 days after a missed period to take a pregnancy test otherwise you might get an inaccurate result. If you think you might be pregnant and already missed your period, wait 3 days and take another test.
Dont Read The Results Too Early
Likewise, avoid reading your pregnancy test results too early. As your urine travels through the test indicator window, it might look like the results are showing, but the test needs time to completely work. Follow the testâs instructions as closely as possible and avoid checking on the results too early. If needed, set a timer to let you know, according to the instructions, when the results are ready.
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When To Take A Pregnancy Test
A positive pregnancy test will usually show up around the time of your missed period, on average 14 days after ovulation/fertilization, and rarely earlier than 9-10 days after fertilization/ovulation. Even if the pregnancy test is negative, there is still a chance of getting a positive pregnancy test later on.
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False Positive And Negative Results
When a test result is inaccurate, its either a false negative or a false positive . Several factors can cause false negative results:
- Having too dilute urine after drinking a lot of water or testing later in the day.
- Testing too soon when there has not been enough time for a fertilized egg to implant and start hCG production.
- Using a pregnancy test that doesnt detect lower levels of hCG. You can check the package insert for more information about the level at which the test will be positive.
Sometimes an egg will implant briefly but will not be sustained. This is also called a chemical pregnancy hCG is produced, but the pregnancy doesnt continue. A test performed several days before an expected period can show a positive result, but the woman still gets her period soon or on time. Rarely, certain tumors can produce hCG, causing a pregnancy test to be positive even when a woman is not pregnant.
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How Do I Use A Home Pregnancy Test
All home pregnancy tests come with written instructions. Depending on the brand you buy, the instructions may vary:
- You hold a stick in your urine stream.
- You pee into a cup and dip the stick into it.
- You pee into a cup and then use a dropper to put a few drops of the urine into a special container.
Different brands tell you to wait different amounts of time, although most are around 2 minutes. Depending on the brand of the test, you may see a line or a plus symbol, or the words “pregnant” or “not pregnant.” A line or plus symbol, no matter how faint, means the result is positive.
Most tests also have a “control indicator” in the result window. This control line or symbol shows whether the test is working properly. If the control line or symbol does not appear, the test is not working properly.
Look for the toll-free phone number on the package to call in case of questions about use or results.
What Is A Chemical Pregnancy
A chemical pregnancy refers to a miscarriage happening even before implantation. A pregnancy test may turn positive because of the hormones present in the body.
A missed period may follow, but in the real sense, there is no evidence of pregnancy as per the ultrasound. A chemical pregnancy bleeding will then occur almost the same time as your period which may confuse you.
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If You’re Not Sure You Want To Be Pregnant
If you’re not sure about continuing with the pregnancy, you can discuss this confidentially with a healthcare professional. Your options are:
- continuing with the pregnancy and keeping the baby
- having an abortion
- continuing with the pregnancy and having the baby adopted
As well as a GP or a nurse at your GP surgery, you can also get accurate, confidential information from the age of 13 from the following:
- the National Unplanned Pregnancy Advisory service website
All these services including community contraceptive clinics are confidential. If you’re 13 or older, the staff won’t tell your parents. They’ll encourage you to talk to your parents, but they won’t force you.
If you’re under 25 and would prefer advice specifically for young people, the sexual health charity Brook provides a range of services for young people. The Brook website contains information on pregnancy choices. You can also use the Ask Brook 24/7 service.
/5when Is The Right Time To Take The Test
The best time to take the pregnancy test is after your period is late. You can take the test from the first day of your missed period. Some test kits show positive as early as 4 or 5 days before your period is due. Taking the test after a missed period can help you avoid false negatives and the false positives of very early miscarriages. If your menstrual cycle is irregular then wait for 35 to 40 days before taking the test for an accurate result.
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How Accurate Are Urine Tests
Urine tests or home pregnancy tests are around 97% accurate when done correctly. Home pregnancy tests are great to use because they can be done at home, they are usually low in cost , private, they give a fast result, and are easy to use.
However, if done incorrectly or taken too early, the result can be inaccurate. If you get a negative result and still have symptoms of pregnancy , wait a week and take another test or contact your doctor so you can have a blood test done.
How Soon Can I Take A Home Pregnancy Test
It is recommended that you wait until you have missed a period to take a home test. A missed period is often one of the first signs of pregnancy. If you cannot wait that long to find out and you know the day you may have conceived, then the earliest you can take a test would be 14 days from possible conception.
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My Pregnancy Test Says I Am Pregnant What Should I Do Next
If a home pregnancy test shows that you are pregnant, you should call your doctor to schedule an appointment.
Your doctor can use a blood test to tell for sure whether you are pregnant. Seeing your doctor early in your pregnancy also means you can begin prenatal care to help you and your baby stay healthy.
Right Time To Take Pregnancy Test After Missed Period
The tests include urine HCG test and serum HCG test. Taking a pregnancy test after a missed period should be timed correctly to detect the pregnancy accurately. To detect beta HCG in both urine and serum the test should be performed 1-10 days after a missed period in a woman who was having regular cycles.
When this time is converted to the period of gestation, it can be stated as 5 weeks. Since the placental implantation takes place at a period of gestation of 3-4weeks, the test should be timed at this particular period. Quantitative serum assays can detect HCG levels as low as 1 mIU/ml.
But urine HCG strips can only detect HCG levels > 10 mIU/ml since it is a qualitative assay. Serum HCG is the best early test to detect pregnancy. If the serum HCG level is checked serially, doubling of the HCG level in every 48 hours will support more towards a viable fetus.
The amount of beta HCG produced by the placenta increases at this rate with the period of gestation in a viable fetus. If the test is done before missing a period, at a period of amenorrhea of 3 weeks there is a possibility of urine HCG test to become negative.
The urine HCG test can be performed at home. If you are planning to have a baby, it is best to note the day of your last menstruation. This helps you detect the missed period correctly without any delay. Even though the serum HCG is more sensitive than urine HCG, most women prefer urine HCG since it is simple and non-invasive.
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How Soon Can You Tell If Youre Pregnant
You can tell that you are pregnant by the first signs of pregnancy 6 days after conception. Nasal congestion and the three-phase nature of BBT are the first signs. Every woman wants to know how to recognize a pregnancy as soon as possible. Missing periods is a sign of pregnancy, but it is not a sure indicator.
Why Is Missed Period A Prerequisite To Take Pregnancy Test
Some symptoms of pregnancy include a desire to eat certain foods. Women may experience gastrointestinal changes, and may even notice a change in their urinary habits. If the woman had sex recently and still noticed these symptoms, then she should undergo a urine pregnancy test.
Some people can be confused about when to start a pregnancy test. However, it is best to wait for seven days and notice the appearance of other symptoms. During the period of missed periods, it is best to be tested at the moment when the woman has an episode of irregular periods. It can reduce the likelihood of miscarriage and still allow results to be accurate.
Pregnant women should be aware that hCG is secreted the same way as during their menstrual cycle. Therefore, one should conduct the tests within a suitable time frame to receive the best results. Tests performed by the doctor or a close friend are more reliable than self-administered tests.
If the woman gets a positive result, then she should go through frequent checks to determine if she is really pregnant. However, some women will get a false positive result. In this instance, she should visit her doctor to figure out why she is not pregnant.
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How Concentrated Your Urine Is
Pregnancy tests used to recommend using your first pee of the morning, when more hCG is present. But now they’re sensitive enough to work at any point in the day, although it does help if you’re taking the test early.
Similarly, drinking too much liquid beforehand could dilute your urine and affect the results.
How Pregnancy Tests Work
Think you might be pregnant?
Even with the most effective birth control methods, theres always a chance for error. After all, it takes just one sperm to fertilize the egg. Finding out whether or not thats happened is as easy as taking an over-the-counter pregnancy test.
OTC pregnancy tests typically test your urine for a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin . HCG is only present if youre pregnant. The hormone is only released if a fertilized egg attaches outside the uterus or to your uterine lining.
There are different ways to collect your urine for the test. Depending on the test you choose, you may have to:
- collect your urine in a cup and dip a testing stick into the liquid
- collect your urine in a cup and use an eyedropper to move a small amount of fluid into a special container
- place the testing stick into the area of your expected urine stream so that it will catch your urine midstream
According to Cleveland Clinic, most tests are 99 percent effective if taken after a missed period. The best part is that you can do it in the privacy of your own home. Simply open the test, follow the instructions, and wait for the recommended amount of time to view the results.
After the recommended waiting time has passed, the tests will display your results in one of the following ways:
- a change in color
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How Soon You Can Take A Pregnancy Test
Step back from the supermarket shelves you should wait until the first day of a missed period before you do a pregnancy test . This is usually about two weeks after you think you conceived. So get your diary out and start counting.
Too keen to wait? Some tests are more sensitive than others and can be taken earlier . This might be four or five days before your period is due .
If you can though, its most reliable to wait for the first day of your missed period. And that way you wont get any upset from an inaccurate result.